I love empanadas, although it has been a while since I have last eaten them. I also love pizza…This is why we’ll be making two dishes in one: Pizza Empanadas!!! Excited?
Because of the American football Super Bowl which is coming up soon, I decided to make the pizza empanadas dough ahead of time for freezing, so that they can simply be filled and baked on the day that they will be served.  What a time saver!
If you weren’t already aware, empanadas are not exclusively a dish from Hispanic Latin America, but are also widely esteemed in Brazil, including both fried (pastel frito) and baked (pastel de forno) versions with sweet and savory fillings. Brazilians call these beauties “pastel” (in Mexico, a similar pastry is called an empanada, and through Mexican influence that is also the term by which the pastries have generally come to be known in English).
The baked empanadas (pastéis) are usually served with a cup of coffee (cafezinho), a glass of guaraná soda, or beer, while the fried ones are preferrably served with sugarcane juice, guaraná soda, or beer.  They make for a quick afternoon snack or a great appetizer for parties and bar conversation (conversa de botequim).
I confess that I do prefer the baked empanadas (pastel de forno) for obvious reasons – they are less messy and greasy to prepare.
That is why our pizza empanadas are baked.  There is a wide variety of possible fillings, but I picked what we call the pizza filling: ham, cheese, tomato, and oregano. It is like having empanadas and pizza in the same dish. 😉 Don’t you?
Well, enjoy our pizza empanadas and have a great time with your friends and family watching the Super Bowl.
xx
Pizza Empanadas — Two dishes in one! Got yours?
Pizza Empanadas (Pastel de Pizza)
Ingredients
- For the pizza empanadas dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- teaspoon ¼salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter cold and cut into small pieces, 170 g, 1 ½ sticks
- 1 large egg chilled
- 5 tablespoons cold water
- Note: The dough recipe was adapted from Laylita's Recipes.
- For the pizza empanadas filling:
- 3/4 cup shredded ham
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 12 cherry-tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1 large egg whites and yolk separated
Instructions
- In a food processor, mix the flour and salt together. Add the butter, egg, and water until a clumpy dough forms. Do not overwork the dough!!!
- Form a ball, wrap in plastic wrapper, and chill in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes.
- Then, unwrap and roll out the dough into a thin sheet over a floured surface, working from the center of the dough to the edges. Cut out round disc shapes using a round medium-size or small mold or cutter.
- Use immediately or store in the freezer for up to 3 months (In this last instance, pile one disc on top of the other with plastic wrapper in between them. Wrap the pile well and store in a ziploc bag. Thaw in the refrigerator before filling the pizza empanadas).
- For the filling of the pizza empanadas (In Brazil, we call this type of filling "pizza"): In a small bowl, mix both the ham and cheese. Reserve. Assemble the pizza empanadas, adding a spoonful of the ham and cheese mixture on the center of each empanada disc. Top with 2 halves of a tomato and sprinkle a little bit of oregano. Brush the edges of the pizza empanada discs with the egg whites or a little bit of water although the whites are a better "glue" to seal the pizza empanadas. Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges gently with your fingers.
- Then, press the edges of the pizza empanadas with a fork to crimple. Lightly brush the top of the pizza empanadas with the egg yolk thinned with 1/2 teaspoon of water. Layer the pizza empanadas in a single layer in a deep baking pan or pyrex dish. Cover with aluminum foil (don't let it touch the pizza empanadas). Let the pizza empanadas rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until ready to bake.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400º F (200º C) and bake for 10 - 15 (small) or 15 - 20 minutes (medium) or until golden. Serve pizza empanadas warm by themselves, with your favorite dipping sauce (I used chimichurri sauce) plus a drink, or with a fresh salad.
Recipe Notes
Please note, prepackaged refrigerated phyllo dough, or an empanada dough from your local Latin American grocery store can be substituted for dough made from scratch, if desired.
Pizza Empanadas — Two dishes in one! Got yours?
Laura King
January 24, 2013 at 9:44 pmLooks delicious Denise, and I love having a little package of yumminess I can hold in my hand 🙂
Denise Browning
January 25, 2013 at 12:10 amThanks for your comment, Laura! They are almost over. 🙂
It was a big success at my house — even the girls ate them and asked for more…
I hope you participate in our giveaway. xx
Nydia
January 24, 2013 at 9:46 pmNothing better that a home made dough, specially for empanadas, which I guess is more latin than spanish 😉
Denise Browning
January 25, 2013 at 12:07 amThanks, Nydia! I agree…
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com
January 25, 2013 at 7:57 amLove these, they remind me of Italian galzone. I love savory and sweet fillings wrapped inside baked dough.
Denise Browning
January 25, 2013 at 1:54 pmJulia:
Yes, they do remind Italian Calzone tastewise, although I think baked empanadas are much flakier than calzone!
They also have a thinner crust.
See ya soon! xx
natalie
January 25, 2013 at 2:59 pmThese look amazing!
Denise Browning
January 25, 2013 at 3:07 pmThanks, Natalie!
My family loves these empanadas — even my children!!!
I hope you have the chance to make them. Have a great weekend!
P.S: I hope you participate in our giveaway, which one-question form is in this post above the recipe:
http://www.frombraziltoyou.org/brazilian-recipes/avocado-creme-brulee-and-giveaway/
Elizabeth
January 26, 2013 at 1:47 amThese look so yummy! I love the melty cheese 🙂
Denise Browning
January 26, 2013 at 3:38 amThanks, Elizabeth!
Me too…They are all gone by the way. 🙂
Wishing you a great weekend!!!
Naná Oliveira
January 26, 2013 at 9:20 pmDenise amada,
Amo as suas receitas. Você está de parabéns.
Fiz as empanadas utilizando a massa folhada compradas já pronta no supermercado.
Como recheio: Piquei os tomates bem picadinhos, acrescentei cebola, óregano seco, ralei (ralo grosso) queijo prato e queijo de coalho, coloquei um pouquinho de azeite de oliva e um pouquinho de sal.
Pincelei com gemas de ovo e as bordas da massa eu amassei com um garfo. Recheei e levei ao forno pré-aquecido. A casa ficou perfumadÃssima.
Meu erro foi (e aà eu deixo como sugestão para que outras pessoas não façam o que eu fiz) não colocar um papel manteiga na forma, ou untá-las, E não deixar o tempo de descanso antes de ir ao forno.
Desse modo, deixei-as dourar demais e o recheio esparramou por toda a forma, de modo que, ai esfriar, endureceu e ficou difÃcil retirá-las com facilidade. Algumas quebraram. No mais ficaram saborosÃssimas.
Essa sua sugestão foi maravilhosa.
Quem fizer irá amar!
Obrigada por compartilhar conosco suas habilidades.
Que O Bom Deus lhe abençoe e multiplique seus dons!
Naná
Denise Browning
January 26, 2013 at 11:21 pmNaná, irmã!
Obrigada por suas palavras de carinho!
O recheio esparramou por toda a forma provavelmemnte por 2 motivos:
1. O tomate picado e o azeite. O recheio de pastel deve ser o mais seco possÃvel ou deixa a massa molhada.
É por isso que na minha receita pus um tomate pequeno (contem menos liquido), fatiado pela metade e virado pra cima (para que o liquido não escorresse facilmente molhando o resto do recheio). Jamais pique ingredientes que contem liquido como tomate (a não ser que todas as sementes e liquido sejam todos retirados primeiro) pois quando aquece no forno o liquido solta todo. A mesma coisa acontece com o azeite que já é liquido.
2. Pincelar a parte interna do cÃrculo de pastel com clara de ovo ajuda a selar bem a massa. A clara atua como uma cola. Além disso, é necessario não encher muito o pastel para que quando for na hora de dobrar a massa para fechar, não impeça a selagem da massa a qual deve ser pressionada com os dedos bem e depois pressionada com um garfo. Do contrário, a massa se abrirá ou formará brechas no forno depois de aquecida.
Outra coisa: Jamais pincele a forma. Isso faz o pastel dourar demais na parte de baixo provocando alteracões no gosto da massa e também na textura. Aqui forro a minha forma com parchment paper (é uma folha de papel sem brilho e um pouco mais grossa que o nosso papel manteiga o qual aqui se chama wax paper). Veja aà o que seria o equivalente a parchment paper. Quando aquecido a altas temperaturas ele não escurece como o papel manteiga não.
Deixei a massa descansar na geladeira antes de assar os pastéis porque isso relaxa a massa fazendo mais maleável e também para que a pincelagem da gema enxugue mais.
Tudo que está nas minha receitas tem uma razão. Sei que as vezes não explico absolutamente tudo, mas tudo tem uma razão para que aqueles que seguem as receitas possam ter o resultado esperado, ou seja, ser bem-sucedido. Próxima vez, tente fazer seguindo esses passos e depois me diga o resultado por favor. 🙂
Um grande abraço e fica com Deus.
Coffee and Crumpets
January 29, 2013 at 8:04 pmPerfect for the Superbowl! My daughter asked me yesterday what goodies I was making for the Superbowl on Sunday and I said “nothing”. I told her since the Broncos aren’t in it..I am taking a break!
Love these little parcels of pizza goodness!
So, 49’rs or Ravens?
Nazneen
Denise Browning
January 29, 2013 at 9:39 pmThanks, Nazneen!
Well, just because I lived my first 5 years in the U.S. in Northern California, I’ll say 49’rs – hopefully! 🙂
So sorry that your team will not be playing in that event…Have a great time with your family anyway!! xx
Jean
March 11, 2018 at 9:58 amCan I make these ahead of time and freeze them unbaked and then bake the day of the party?
Denise Browning
March 11, 2018 at 5:53 pmYes, you can Jean! But make sure you freeze them without the egg wash. In addition, let them thaw in the refrigerator before baking them. Enjoy!